Can body forming apparatus



March 24, 1942. I LAXQ CAN BODY FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 23, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Ed Laxo BY M 7 ATTORN s.

March 24, 1942. LAXO 2,277,519

CAN BODY FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 23, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 17d Laxo BY M 7 March 24, 1942. LAXO 2,277,519

CAN BODY FORMING APPARATUS Filed May 23, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 V INVENTOR. Ed Lasso, fi w A TT EYS.

Patented Mar. 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,277,519 4 CAN BODY FORMING APPARATUS Laxo, Riverside, 111., assignor to Owens-Illinois Can Company, a corporation of Delaware Application May 23, 1939, Serial No. 275,192

4 Claims.

anvil or horn preparatory to the actual bending of the blanks to cylindrical shape therearound.

Heretofore in supporting the body blanks, preparatory to bending the same to cylindrical shape on the forming horn, a stationary edge-supporting ledge or shoulder underlies each hooked side edge of the blank to support the same while the blank is centered on the forming horn and clamped thereto along a longitudinal center line by means of a clamping head. As the clamping wings engage the. upper surface of the blank to wrap the blank about the forming horn, each half of the blank on opposite sides of the line of contact between the blank and horn is flexed downwardly so that the side edges of the blank are forcibly pulled or sprung from their respective supporting ledges. Because of minute discrepancies in the character of the blank edges themselves, in the nature of the supporting shoulder, or in the manner in which the blanks are centered on the forming horn, it very frequently happens that one edge of a blank will be forcibly sprung from its respective shoulder before the other edge has left its respective shoulder. The net effect of this is to so jar the blank that the same becomes misaligned on the forming horn with the ultimate result that an uneven seam is formed in the shaped can body, or in extreme instances, the hooked side edges of the can body fail to become interlocked.

The present invention is designed to overcome the above noted limitation that is attendant upon the use of such fixed supporting means for the blanks and accordingly, has for its principal object, the provision of a pair of movable and automatically operable supporting members which underlie the side edges of the blanks and support the same preparatory to the actual forming operation and which, when the forming wings come into engagement with the upper surface of each blank in the usual manner to flex the same around the'forming horn, are automatically withdrawn from beneath the side edges of the blank, thereby eliminating the necessity of springing the blank from its supporting means and consequently eliminating the tendency of the blank to become misaligned on the forming horn.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character set forth above, in which the movements of the supporting members are dependent upon and synchronized with the movements of the forming wings and may be regulated with respect thereto in order that the side edges of the blank may be supported and the blank itself properly aligned with the forming horn and held against shifting thereon until the precise moment when the forming wings come into engagement with the blank and the forming operation has actually commenced.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus in which the supporting and aligning means for the blanks may be adjusted toward and away from each other to accommodate blanks of difierentwidths, while at the same time the operating mechanism for the supporting means may be adjusted to compensate for the adjustment of the latter.

A still further object of the invention is to i provide an apparatus of the character set forth which may accommodate can body blanks of varying lengths as well as of varying widths.

Other objects of the invention not at this time enumerated will become apparent hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary transverse 'sectional view taken through a body-making machine showing the improved body blank mechanism applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail fragmentary transverse sectional view similar to Fig. l with the parts in a different position.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of an adjustable supporting bracket employed in connection with the present invention.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged'perspective view of an eccentric adjusting pin employed in connection taken substantially taken substantially taken substantially taken substantially V with the invention.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line'9-9 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line I 0-l 0 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line ll-ll of Fig. 1.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the body blanks B which have previously been fed from a stack and treated at a notching and slitting station forming station, are successively fed to and arranged on a forming horn at a forming station F by conventional mechanism (not shown) preparatory to the formation of can bodies by interlocking the edges of the blanks.

"medially in position on the horn. By means of conventional mechanism (not shown) a slight upward movement of the horn, after each blank is in position on the latter, is effected to bring about-a clamping engagement of the steel and horn with the blank. The hooked side edges of the blank are supported on a pair of movable shoulder pieces (Figs. 5 and 6) and precisely as the forming operation commences, during which the blank is wrapped about the forming horn, the shoulder pieces 15 are withdrawn from beneath the edges of the blank so that there will be no tendency for the edges of the blank to spring from their supports and shift out of alignment with the horn, as frequently occurs at present.

The forming mechanism consists of a pair of forming wings it of conventional design, which are pivoted upon hinge pins 11, on opposite sides of the clamping head 12, and adapted to be swung downwardly in unison from the elevated position they occupy in Fig. 1, to a position wherein they enclose or embrace the forming horn II. In thus moving, the forming wings l5 engage the blank on opposite sides of the horn and wrap the same around the horn to effect interlocking of the hooked edges, after which the seam thus formed, is treated at the usual bumping station. In order to actuate the forming wings l5, each wing (Figs. 1 and 2) is connected by means of a link It to the free end of a rocker arm 19 having a sleeve portion 20 oscillatively mounted upon a shaft 2| which is supported in the framework 13. The arm I9 is provided with a slot 22 through which there extends a wrist pin 23, the latter being adjustably clamped in the slot by means of a clamping nut 24. An adjustably extensible connecting rod 25 connects the wrist pin and a vertically reciprocable slide member 25, the vertical 2,277, and provided with hooked side edges at a hook the clamping bolt 23, an accurate iine adjustin position to receive an edge portion of the -ment of the elevation of the inner end of the bracket may be eflected by turning the eccentric adjusting pin 21. The studs 31 and clamping bolt 28 are thereafter tightened to support the bracket in its adjusted position and thereby securely lock the corresponding shoulder piece 15 blanks.

A shaft 34 is secured against turnlng move-- ment in the bore 33 by means of a set screw 33 (see also Figs. 2 and 3). A collar 31 (Figs. 3 and 4) having a depending leg 32, from vwhich there projects an extension 43, is secured by means or a set screw 34 to the non-rotatable shaft 34 and is positioned in close proximity to the boss 32. A second collar 45 having a leg 43 is secured by means of a set screw 31 to the free end of the shaft 34. A guide bar 33 (Fig. 5) is secured by means of studs 39 to the depending legs 42 and 43 of the collars 31 and 35 respectively, and bridges the distance between them. The guide bar is formed with a vertical coniining'wali 33' designed to prevent lateral shifting or turning of the blanks B on the forming horn Ill.

. While the height of the confining wall 33' is movements of which are derived from conven- The arrangement of parts thus far described,

with the exception of the movable shoulder piece 15, is more or less conventional and no claim to any novelty connected therewith is made herein, the novelty of the present invention residing rather in the mechanism for actuating the shoulder piece 15 which will now be described.

Still referring to Figs. 1 and 2, and also to Fig. 7, a slotted supporting bracket 30 is adjustably clamped in a substantially horizontal position by means of clamping studs 3|, to the machine framework II, and is formed at its inner end with a boss 32 provided with a bore 33 extending therethrough. A rotatable eccentric adjusting pin 21 having a squared end, extends through the slot in the bracket 30 and is adapted to be clamped in any desired position by means of a clamping bolt 28. The diameter of the studs 3| is less than the width of the slot in the bracket relatively small, it is nevertheless of suflicient extent that it does not release the edge of the blank, after the latter has been enga ed by the forming wings l3, until the blank is sumciently flexed that the tension existing in the blank will prevent shifting thereof on the horn ll.

Referring now to Figs. 1. 3, and '1, an ear 3' depends from the bracket 33 and is formed with a bore 31 adjacent its lower end through which there extends a threadedrod 33. A keyway 33 provided in the rod 33 cooperates with a pin 43 or key carried by said ear in preventing turning of the rod in the bore 31. Clamping and adjusting nuts 41 on opposite sides of the ear 33 permit longitudinal adjustment of the rod 38 in the bore 31. The rod 33 carries at one end thereof an abutment 23 against which the forward edges of the can body blanks B, fed to the forming horn 10, are adapted to strike, thus accurately determining the forward position of each blank relabore 31, it is possible to accommodate body blanks of diiferent heights.

Tiltablymounted on the shaft. 34 (Figs. 3 and 6) and extending between the two collars ll and 45 is a sleeve 50 provided with a downwardly extending rib or 'flange 5| to which there is secured by means of studs 52, the previously referred to shoulder piece 15, upon which the hooked ends of the can body blanks B are adapted to be supported prior to the forming operation.

The sleeve 50 (Figs. 1 and 3) is formed with a pair of upwardly extending arms 53 in the upper ends of which a shaft 53 is mounted. A cam roller 55 is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 54. A cam arm 56 (Figs, 1, 2, and 3) having a split clamping connection 51 (Fig. 10) with the sleeve 20, is formed with a longitudinal channel 53 or guideway therein. A slotted cam member 53 is formed with a projection 33 that fits into the channel 58 and a clamping bolt 5| extends through the slot in the cam member and serves to adjustably clamp the latter to the cam arm 53.

A foot 62 formed at the outer end of the cam member 59 is provided with a cam surface including a iaised portion 53 and a lowered portion 64 designed for engagement with the cam roller 55. A coil spring to secured at one end to an ear 66 on the sleeve 55 and at the other end to an ear 6! at the lower end of the extension 43, serves to apply a torque to the sleeve 50, normally maintaining the roller 55 in contact with the foot 62.

in the operation of the apparatus, when the arms l9 (Fig. 1) move downwardly, carrying with them the cam arms '56 and simultaneously actuating the wings Hi, the cam rollers 55 ride outwardly on the inclines existing between the raised portions 63 and the lowered portions 64 immediately prior to engagement of the can body blank B by the tips or ends of the wings. Thus the two sleeves 50 are rotated to retract the shoulder pieces l5 from beneath the hooked edges of the blanks as shown in Fig. 2. 'l'he hooked edges of the blank are left without a support therebeneath but the verticaledges 48' of the guide bars 68 confine the blank therebetween and prevent shifting of the latter as the tips or ends of the wings l6 engage the blank. The edges 48' retain their confining function during the initial flexing of the blank and, by the time the edges of the blank have moved downwardly so as to clear the confining edges 48', the blank is sufficiently flexed and under tension that there is no further tendency for the same to shift on the forming horn Ill.

The rollers 55 continue to ride upon the elevated portions 63 of the feet 62 until the blank is completely wrapped about the horn and the hooked edges thereof are united. Thereafter, upon elevation of the arms I9 and cam arms 56, the wings l6 are restored to their elevated positions and, during elevation thereof, the cam rollers 55 again pass onto the lowered portions 64 to restore the shoulder pieces l5 to their projected positions preparatory to reception thereon of the hooked edges of the next succeeding blank.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for making can bodies, in combination, a forming horn upon which the body blanks are formed, a pair of forming wings adapted to close about the horn, means for moving the wings between open and closed positions, means for clamping a hat blank in a horizontal position tangentially on the horn, and means for releasably supporting each side edge of the blank, said means comprising a tiltable member, a shoulder piece on the member for supporting a side edge of the blank and movable upon tilting of the member from a supporting position beneath the edge to a retracted position, a horizontal shaft, a rocker arm mounted for movement about the axis of the shaft, a link connecting the arm to one of the forming wings, a second arm mounted for rocking movement about the axis of the shaft, means preventing relative movement between said arms, a cam member on said second arm, means on the tiltable member engaging said cam member, and means for tilting said first mentioned arm.

2. In a machine for making can bodies, in combination, a forming horn upon which the body blanks are formed, a pair of forming wings adapted to close about the horn, means for moving the wings between open and closed positions, means for clamping a flat blank in a horizontal position tangentially on the horn, and means for releasably supporting each side edge of the blank, said means comprising a tiltable member, a shoulder piece on the member for supporting a side edge of the blank and movable upon tilting of the member from a supporting position beneath the edge to a retracted position, a horizontal shaft, a rocker arm mounted for movement about the axis of the shaft, a link connecting the arm to one of the forming wings, a second arm mounted for rocking movement about the axis of the shaft, means preventing relative movement between said arms, a cam member adustably secured to the second arm, a foot having a cam surface formed on the cam member, a cam roller eccentrically mounted on the tiltable member, means normally urging the tiltable member to a position wherein the cam roller engages the cam surface of the foot, and means for tilting said first mentioned arm.

3. in a machine for making can bodies, in combination, a forming horn upon which the body blanks are formed, a pair of forming wings adapted to close about the horn, means for moving the wings between open and closed positions,

means for clamping a hat blank in a horizontal position tangentially on the horn, and means for releasably supporting each side edge of the blank, said means comprising a tiltable member, a shoulder piece on the member for supporting a side edge of the blank and movable upon tilting of the member from a supporting position beneath the edge to a retracted position, a horizontal shaft, a rocker arm mounted for movement about the axis of the shaft, a link connecting the arm to one of the forming Wings, a second arm mounted for rocking movement about the axis of the shaft, means preventing relative movement between said arms, a cam member adustably secured to the second arm, a foot having a cam surface formed on the cam member, a cam roller eccentrically mounted on the tiltable member, means normally urging the tiltable member to a position wherein the cam roller engages the cam surface of the foot, means for tilting said first mentioned arm, and means for adjusting the position of said cam member on the second arm.

4. In a machine for making can bodies, in combination, a forming horn upon which the body blanks are formed, a pair of forming wings adapted to close about the horn, means for moving the wings between open and closed positions, means for clamping a hat blank in a horizontal position tangentially on the horn, and means for releasably supporting each side edge of the blank, said means comprising a horizontal shaft, a sleeve tiitably mounted on the shaft, a shoulder piece on the sleeve for supporting a side edge of the blank and movable upon tilting of the sleeve from a supporting position beneath the edge to a retracted position, a horizontal shaft, a rocker arm mounted for movement about the axis of the shaft, a link connecting the arm to one of the Iorming wings, a second arm mounted for tilting movement about the axis of the shaft, means preventing relative movement between the arms, a cam member on said second arm, means on the sleeve normally engaging said cam member, a

bracket secured to the shaft on which the sleeve is mounted, a rod slidably mounted in the brack et, means securing the rod in any desired ad justed position, a blank-engaging abutment on the rod, and means for tilting one of the arms.

ED LAXO. 

